Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[geebs]

You can use a maglight (most ppl have em)... to check the air cell from the top.. that is about all but on shipped eggs that can be a critical piece of information.

Sending energy vibes your way... Take your "C" and "B" vitamins lady!!....

 

[Hens and Roos]

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With the flashlight we use we can see veins and movement as they are developing, DH has gotten pretty good with candling, the kids just love being able to see the eggs.

 

[sewandgrow]

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I am a non fusser when it comes to setting eggs...I will usually incubate them the same way as I do with the other breeds I work with. Depending on weather and time of year I may or may not increase the humidity for the Marans. I guess it all depends on my mood.

Pink,

I know of one BYCer that uses the "dry method" for Marans eggs. They state the eggs evaporate and breathe better with a lower humidity in the first 18 days? Have you or anyone else done it this way? Think the humidity was set at 35% for the first 18, then cranked up to 50% for lockdown. I would like to try it, but may wait till I get my own eggs, as shipped eggs are too expensive to test with!

I recently met a breeder that prefers the dry hatch method for Marans also but I didn't really understand the reasoning behind it til this discussion. Thanks guys & gals.

 

[sewandgrow]

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Hi there Pink

They are coming along nicely, getting the correct coloring for the male is a challenge. The size, conformation is good and so is the egg color. The over all stippling of the feather was difficult but do have some nice pullets coming along. I bred a lot of them this last year and am now waiting for them to come into lay so that I can see what chicks they produce using the male I kept.

I did breed a blue copper male this year and he has some red in his breast, this is a first for me so excited to see what females he produces. I didn't keep too many copper blue hens but have some young pullets. The copper in the hackles is much better this year, it's taken a long time to get what I have now but well worth all the breeding over the years.

Bev

Bev,
Will you share with us what method you preferwhen hatching Marans & what type of incubator you use?
Thanks

 

[math ace]

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Hello Bev,

Help me out here. I am new to genetics.

Male two genes for leg color and dominate gene rules.
The females don't carry two genes for leg color like the males ? ? They don't hide a recessive gene like males ? ?

I don't understand because if that was the case it would be easy to eliminate yellow legs.
1.) Get rid of all the hens showing yellow legs
2.) Keep the hens not showing yellow legs and breed them to a new roo.

Please, clarify for me. . . . . I know I am misunderstanding something here

 

[math ace]

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Temperature 99.5*
Humidity for the first 18 days between 45 - 50* Increase to 70* for the last three days.

Eggs are very forgiving so don't worry too much.

The incubator should be pre set so you should be alright with the temperature but humidity might be a problem because it's very hard to find an accurate hygrometer. Check the air space at day eight and take out any eggs that look clear. Keep an eye on the air space, if it looks small reduce the water, if it's too big increase the humidity.

Some people can't help themselves at the end of the hatch to see if there is a live chick there or not. If there is a live chick that is a bit late hatching put the egg back in the incubator and cover the egg with a wet face cloth. The chick will hatch out and be alright with the extra humidity.

Bev

 

[geebs]

For ppl using foam bators.. If any are reading this... I use a bantam egg or two just to boost the humidity as they tend to hatch a little early... This is a sacrifice bird... He is usually born early and is a little tired by the time I take him out but I haven't lost one yet that way.... I never open the bator until all have hatch... I will go bator fishing and put in food and water for the chicks... You have to watch the temp aweful close if you are running 3 or 4 days over the hatch day on some of the harder darker eggs... As the chicks get active it is necessary to send down cool water from time to time to drop the temp.. I have gotten the real dark ones to hatch that way and the lavender ones... some of us primitive users still have foam bators...

If I have to do a rescue attempt... I move the whole bator to the bathroom after stabilizing the humidity to the same as the bator...That way I can pull all the chicks at one time and chances of more chicks hatching goes up ALOT!!! Rule of thumb around here.... Don't open after day 18. I run my marans well after the 21 day mark.. some have hatched out well beyond day 21

 

[flgardengirl]

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Yep, they can fool ya alright and it can take a couple 2 or 3 months or even longer. I thought Bill was black for 4 months....but then I started to see lacing, then I didn't believe my eyes, I kept telling myself for 2 months that I was seeing things and he was black, so I posted a photo of him on the previous Marans thread and asked the experts. When he was six months old I test mated him over a Barred Rock hen and sure enough I got blue babies. They can be very tricky those dark dark blues.

In this basket of black coppers is a baby that came out super dark blue copper. It was Achilles (my dark blue copper roo).

Here he is as a young cockeral. He is dark blue but can look really black especially in the shade. I am keeping him to breed with my lighter blue copper hens in hopes of better lacing. He is the one with the naughty attitude lol.

Here is another photo of him: On the left of the lighter blue copper

 

[pinkchick]

flgarden~

I love his copper color and LOVE how dark he is!!!!!

 

[flgardengirl]

Thanks pink. He finally did get some coloring on the top of his wing and his blue on his tummy is a little lighter than when he was younger but still dark. The drawback when they are that dark is lacing does not show well due to the dark color. I have one of his babies and he is a nice darker medium blue with good lacing. Still waiting to see how the copper distribution will come out on his son but so far it looks okay, and little more toned down (brassiness wise) than Achilles'.